Propulsion of torpedoes, &amp;c., by compressed air.



N0. 693,372. Patented Feb. 25, I902.

F. M. LEAVITT. PROPULSION OF TORPEOOES, &c., BY COMPRESSED AIR.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1900.)

ZSheet-Sheat (No Model.)

.INVENTOR Patented Feb. 25, I902. F. M. LEAVITT.

PROPULSION 0F TORPEDOES, &c., BY COMPRESSED AIR.

(Application filed. Apr. 12, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

FIG. 9.

INVENTORZ awu Q/Z By Attorneys, m1 650M M 'wglEssEs;

UNITED STATES PAT NT O FICE.

FRANK M. LEAVITT, OF BROOKLYN, NE'VV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO E. W. V

' BLISS COMPAN", OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF PROPULSION OFTORPEDOES, 866., BY COMPRESSED AIR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 693,872, dated February25, 1902-.

Application filed April 12, 1900. Serial No. 12,545- (No model-l To allwhom, it 711,011 concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. LEAVITT, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in thePropulsion of Torpedoes, &c. ,by Compressed Air, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention provides improved means for storing andgenerating powerfrom compressed air especially applicable for use in automobiletorpedoes, although in part available for the propulsion of other movingbodies or vehicles by means of the power stored in a reservoir of airunder very heavy pressure. I

Myinvention is applicable where air is compressed to a high pressure ina reservoir or flask, being left stored therein until ready for use,whereupon the compressed air is passed through a pipe to the engine ormotor which it drives. Thisjs the system heretofore used for thepropulsion of the Whitehead torpedo. According to my invention I applyheat to the compressed air in the reservoir by effecting a combustiontherein of a suitable combustihis material, such as a liquidhydrocarbon. Hence I provide a suitable charge of-such combustiblematerial, either in the compressedair reservoir itseif drpreferably in achamber communicatingtherewith, and when ready to utilize the power ofthe compressed air I ignite the combustible material and cause it toburn within the reservoir, so that its combustion serves to heat theair, and so increase its mechanical etficiency or capacity to do work. Ieffect the combustion of such material in a gradual and progressivemanner, preferably by feeding it into the reservoir at a rateproportional to the fall of the pressure of air therein.

My invention also relates to means for lgniting the combustible chargeat or shortly after the turning on of compressed air to start theengine.

My invention also relates to means whereby the igniter is set inoperation by the launching of the torpedo.

Having-thus indicated the nature of my inventionJ will proceed toexplaintheprcferred voir.'

mode of applying the same with reference to the accompanying drawings,which show itas applied in connection with an automobile torpedo, andwherein- Figurel isalongitudinal mid-section of the torpedo, showing itspropelling and starting mechanism. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary verticalsection of the middle portion of Fig. 1, showing the parts more indetail. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line' -l 3 in Fig. 2.Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are enlarged detail views of the igniting mechanism invertical longitudinal mid-section. Fig. 7 is a rear elevationof thecocking-plunger removed. Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical longitudinalmid-sections 0f the igniting mechanism, showing it before and afteraction.

In the drawings let A designate a compressed-air reservoir or flask; B,an engine or motor to be driven by the compressed air; 0,

a chamber containing the combustible material, and a a pipe conveyingcompressed air from the reservoir to the motor. Preferably I place,within the reservoir A a receptacle or vessel D, having an open top, butpartly covered over by a hood E. A pipe b connects the bottom of thechamber 0 with the bottom depth, so thatin filling the chamber with thecombustible liquid an air-space will be left above the liquid, as at 0The pipe a is extended within the reservoir by apipe a, connecting itwith the hood E, so that the compressed air passing from the reservoirto the engine is compelled to circulate first into the chamber D, asindicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. Communicating with this pipe I haveshown a valve F, which is the ordinary charging-valve for automobiletorpedoes, through which compressed air is forced into the reser- Thepipe (1. leads to any suitable valve for controlling the admission ofcompressed air to the engine in order to start the engine, and for thispurpose I have shown at G the ordinary starti ng and pressu re-red uci ng val vc used in the Whitehead torpedo, with its starting arm or hook bywhich the valve is opened, in the act of launching the torpedo in thewell-known manner; but any other valve or controlling means may beprovided, my invention having no relation to this feature.

Before describing the igniting mechanism I will describe the operationof the system.

Before admitting air into the reservoir A and while its contents are atatmospheric pressure the plug is removed, and therequired quantity ofalcohol or other suitable liquid hydrocarbon is poured into the chamberO, so as to fill it to the level as established by the lower end of thetube 0', thereby leaving the air-space 0 above the liquid. The pipe 1)extends so high that no liquid will run over into the receptacle D whilefilling the chamber 0. The plug a is then tightly closed, and thereservoir being otherwise hermetically sealed air is pumped in throughthe valve F and pipes a a until the desired pressure is obtained-forexample, fifteen hund red pounds per square inchwhere upon theadmission-valve is closed or plugged, and the air thus introduced isleft stored in the reservoir until power is to be applied. During thiscompression of the air as fast as its pressure exceeds that in theair-space c it displaces the column of liquidin the tube 11 and bubblesup through the liquid in chamber C, so that the air in the space iscompressed to the same pressure as that in the reservoir. When it isdesired to apply the power thus stored, the

starting-valve G is opened to admit the air to the motor B. As soon asthe air begins to escape from the reservoir its pressure diminishes andthe air in the space a expands and gradually forces the liquid to flowfrom the chamber G into the receptacle D. In the system shown all thecompressed air is assumed to be in a gaseous condition, and thereservoir comprises but one compartment, which serves for carrying boththe store of compressed air and the receptacle D, instead of comprisingtwo communicating compartments for the air and the receptacle D, re-

spectively, as would be the case if the com-- pression of the air hadbeen carried to the point of liquidity. At a suitable time thecombustible liquid is ignited in the receptacle D, (by any suitableigniting means, preferably that to be hereinafter described,) so thatthe liquid will burn in the receptacle D, its combustion being supportedby the compressed air, so that it burns rapidly, and its heat beinggiven up to the compressed air, so that the latter is increased inefiiciency. The flames and hot gases resulting from this combustionmingle with the stream of air which is flowing into the receptacle D andout through the hood It and pipe a, the space around the hood being madeamply wide to permit a flow of air so slow as to avoid blow- 7 ing outthe flame. By the gradual expansion of the air in the space 0 as thepressure in the reservoir diminishes the combustible liquid is graduallyand progressively fed into the receptacle l). Hence by suitablyproportioning the volume of the air-space c to thequantity of alcohol orother liquid the flow of the latter into the reservoir may he graduatedto any proportionate rate desired. I prefer to adopt such proportionthat the flow of alcohol shall be continuous during nearly the entireperiod of generation of power, so that the last of it will not beconsumed until shortly before the pressure falls to a minimum at whichit is no longer available for power purposes.

The energy stored in a given weight of air, or, in other words, itscapacity to perform work, is in direct proportion to its absolutetemperature. It therefore results from my invention that the efiiciencyof the air is so increased by the heat of combustion within thereservoir that a greater amount of power can be obtained with a givenweight of air for the same period of time than the same weight of aircan be made to produce when not heat ed. In practice I have found itpracticable to add suliicient heat to increase the work done by the airabout fifty per cent. My invention also avoids the disadvantage of thecooling of the engine and passages due to the expansion of thecompressed air.

I will now describe the igniting means.

I provide a tube d, leading through the reservoir from its exterior tothe receptacle 1), through which tube I may introduce an igniter H,which is shown partly in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and which in itspreferred form is shown in detail removed 'in Figs. 5 and 6. At theouter end of the tube at I provide a lock or cooking mechanism which asa whole is designated J. This mechanism is contained within a shell I,(shown bestin Fig. 4,) which is adapted towithstand theheavypressure andprovides a means for closing the outer end of the tube d against thispressure. \Vithin this shell is fitted a plug or casing K, which ispreferably coned exteriorly and is ground to fit a coned socket in theshell I, so as to make an air-tight joint. In the upper part of thisplug K is a cylindrical chamber in which movesaplunger L. (Shownseparately in Fig. 7.) In the lower part of the plug is formed acylindrical chamber in which moves a piston M, these chambersbeingseparated by a partition 1'. The plug K is held down'wit-hin the shell Iby a screw-plug 7;, which screws into a threaded socket in the shell Iand carries a disk or cap 7;, which makes a tight joint with the top ofthe plug K, so that air cannot escape from the interior of this plug.The plunger L is pressed down by aspringc, seated within the cap I.:'.Through the partition i passes a rod or valve-stein f. This stein has atits upper end a coned valve or head which when it is down seats againsta coned seat in the upper part of the partition '13, and at its lowerend it carries aconed valve which when it is moved up seats in a conedseat formed at the lower'side of this partition thereby preventingleakage of air around the stem when it is in either position. Thechamber m beneath the piston M communicates by a pipe m with thecompressed-air conduit at auy'point between the valve G and the engine 1-as, for example, with the valve-chest of the engine--as shown in Fig.1, so that when air is turned onto the engine it will flow back throughthe pipe m and force up the piston M. The chamber above this piston isvented to the outer air by a passage 19, which is preferably led by apipe 19 to an outlet beyond the igniting mechanism, as shown. Thetube (1is continued through the shell I by an oblique passage (1 therein andinthe plug K, as shown in Fig. 4, this passage leading to the exterior.Through this here or passage the igniter H is inserted. This igniter istubular and has a flange q, which is ground to a tight fit with ashoulder q in the shell I, and'when the igniter is in place it is forcedtightly against this shoulder by means of a cap or screw-plug I, whichscrews into a threaded socket P in the shell I, so that air cannotescape around the igniter. The igniter is preferably a percussion fuseor primer of the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6.- It carries at itslower end a cartridge 2', con- 1 taining a slow-burning powder or othersuitable combustible, which when the igniter is in place projects withinthe receptacle D; as-

shown in Fig. 2. An ordinary percussioncap '1" serves for igniting thiscartridge. The cartridge-is carried at the end of a tube 3, which passesthrough the tube (Z and at its upper end is joined to a tubular shells,Fig. 5, of larger bore, which preferably is made in two sections, itsupper part 5 forming a cap.

A rod Q, forming a firing pin or hammer, is

the upper side of the sleeve s, Fig. 5, and

engages the head Q in the manner shown in Fig. 8, where the hammer iscooked, its spring S being compressed. In introducing the igniter it ispassed down through the passage (1 until the sear Z of the plunger,which is pressed down by its spring e to the position shown in Fig. t,catches the head Q, whereupon the cap P is screwed in and forces downthe igniter until its flange 1 seats against the shoulder 11'. In thisoperation the hammer, being held stationary by the sear, the spring 5 iscompressed, as shown in Fig. 8.

In operation the launching of the torpedo throws the hook 9 intoposition to openthe slaiting-valve G, which admits air-pressure to theengine and also admits compressed air through the tube on to force upthe piston M, 1

as tobe ignited by the cartridge, after which the alcohol enters thereceptacle Dat a uniform rate and burns as it-enters. After theoperation is completed the apparatus may be prepared for anotheroperation by first letting any remaining air escape from the reservoirA, then'unscrewing the cap P and removing the igniter H, applyingthereto a new cartridge-r and percussion-cap r, and then reinserting theigniter and cooking it, as before described. A fresh charge ofcombustible liquidis introduced into C before again pumpingin air.

My invention is not limited to the use of a liquid hydrocarbon, such asalcohol, as a compressed combustible gas may he used or even a solidcombustible material.

, My invention may be greatly modified in its practical application, andI do not limit myself to any one means of applying my invention. Iprefer the igniting means herein described; but other igniting means maybe used-as, for example, an electric fuse.

I claim as my invention the following-defined novel features,substantially ashereinbefore specified, namely: p

1. In an automobile torpedo, the combina tion with means for storingfluid under pressure, an engine driven by such fluid, and means forstarting the engine upon thelaunching of the torpedo, of means forheating the fluid supplied to the engine, and means for starting theaction of said heating means adapted tobe set in operation by thelaunching of the torpedo. I

In an automobile torpedo, the combination with means for storing fluidunder pressure, an engine driven by such fluid, and means for startingthe engine upon the launchin g of the torpedo, of a heater in which acombustible is burned for heating the fluid supplied to the engine, anigniter adapted to ignite said combustible, and means'set in operationby the launching of the torpedo for operating said igniter.

3. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with means for storingfluid under pressure, an engine driven by such fluid, and astarting-valve for admitting such fluid to the engine on the launchingof the torpedo, of a heater in which a combustible is burned for heatingthe fluid supplied to the engine, an

igniter adapted'toignite said combust.ible,.

from the chamber Q into the receptacle D, so

and means set in operation by the opening of said valve for operatingsaid igniter.

at, In an automobile torpedo the combination with a compressed-airreservoir, an engine, and means for starting the engine upon thelaunching of the torpedo, of an igniter adapted to ignite a combustiblewithin the body of stored compressed air, and means set in operation bythe launching of the torpedo for operating said igniter.

5. In an automobile torpedo the combination with a compressed-airreservoir, an engine, and a starting-valve for admitting compressed airto the engine on the launching of the torpedo, of an igniter adapted toignite a combustible within the body of stored compressed air, and meansset in operation by the opening of said valve for operating saidigniter.

6. In an automobile torpedo the combination with a compressed-airreservoir, an engine, and means for starting the engine uponthelaunching of the torpedo, an igniter adapted to ignite a combustiblewithin the body of stored compressed air and a fluid-pressure device foroperating said igniter adapted to receive compressed air upon thelaunching of the torpedo.

7. In an automobile torpedo the combination with a compressed-airreservoir, an engine, and a starting-valve for admitting compressed airto the engine on the launching of the torpedo, of an igniter adapted toignite a combustible within the body of stored compressed air andafluid-pressure device for operating said igniter connected beyond saidValve to receive com pressed air upon the opening of said valve.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. LEAVI'IT.

Witnesses:

E. S. Pon'rnn, M. AnoNsoN.

